Attorney Michael Cooper Joins Gray Reed & McGraw

March 4, 2009

DALLAS - Gray Reed & McGraw has further expanded its Energy Practice Group with the addition of Michael Cooper as a Partner in the firm's Dallas office.

Mr. Cooper, who joins Gray Reed & McGraw from McElree Savage Smith P.C., has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of corporate representation, ranging from day-to-day operational issues to major transactions to securities and taxation matters. He has represented clients in numerous industries, with the majority of his practice devoted to the highly regulated oil and gas, energy industry.

Mr. Cooper received both his J.D. (1977) and his B.A. (1974) from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. In addition, Mr. Cooper is a Certified Public Accountant and the holder of a L.L.M. in Taxation from Boston University, which enables him to evaluate the many aspects of sophisticated business transactions.

He has actively participated, as both Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, in the growth of a company from start-up to a half billion dollar public entity. This experience facilitates his understanding of his clients' business goals and makes him particularly effective in helping them to pursue their own growth strategies. Because of his depth of experience, Mr. Cooper can assist his clients not only with transactional issues, but also with operational and employment issues, risk management, compliance issues, and general corporate matters.

Mr. Cooper is an active member of the State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association. In addition, he is the Secretary/Director for South Texas Children's Home Land Management and Treasurer for The West Point Society of North Texas.

Founded in 1985, Gray Reed & McGraw is a full-service law firm with more than 90 lawyers practicing in Houston, Dallas and Tyler, and offers a wide range of legal services including business litigation, corporate transactions, oil & gas, tax planning and litigation, real estate, healthcare, trusts and estates, employment law, family law, and bankruptcy. For more information, visit www.grayreed.com.